Close down Ho Central Prison -- NGO tells government

The government has been called upon to close down the Ho Central Prison because of the prevailing inhumane conditions in that facility.

The President of Soulwinners International, an inter faith-based non- profit organisation, Evangelist Nicholas Lorkpa, who made the call, described the Ho Central Prison as the worst prison in Ghana.

The group, made up of Christian professionals such as doctors, nurses, evangelists, pastors, counsellors and lawyers, has visited almost all the 45 prisons in the country to evangelise, counsel and give free medical treatment to inmates. 

Evangelist Lorkpa said although all the prisons in the country were confronted with poor ventilation, overcrowding, people sleeping next to open toilets and inadequate feeding, that of Ho was overwhelming.

 “The worst prison we have been to is the Ho Central Prison. That place is evil and should be closed down,” he stated.

Speaking to the Daily Graphic last Friday after visiting the Sekondi Central Prison, the Sekondi Female Prison and the Ekuasi Camp Prison in the Western Region, Evangelist Lorkpa said the conditions in the Ho Central Prison were hellish.

He said cells which were meant for 10 or 12 people contained between 53 and 56 inmates who had to be packed “like sardines. Bodies touch one another when they are sleeping at night, while others sleep under the beds.”

Evangelist Lorkpa added that almost all the toilet facilities in the prison were not functioning, while there was no water to flush the few that were functioning.  

He also mentioned poor dieting, as well as prisoners having various skin lesions on their buttocks, groins, backs, legs and abdomen.

“I mean people should go there and see things for themselves. Human beings cannot live in that condition,” he said.

Harsh treatment

He said although prisons were correctional, the condition in which the inmates lived in could not genuinely reform them.

“We are all Ghanaians and if people commit crime and we say that they should go there for correctional purposes and they are living under such condition, do you expect them to come out well reformed or hardened?” 

Evangelist Lorkpa said prisoners who experienced humane detention conditions would be more willing and able to respond to rehabilitative programmes.

On the other hand, he said those who experienced punitive conditions and mistreatment were likely to return to society psychologically shattered and in a poor or worse state of physical and mental health than when they entered.

He said humane prison conditions also reduced the prevalence of violence in prisons. 

He added that the inhumane conditions in Ghanaian prisons were making inmates more hardened, thereby making amnesty granted by the government to prisoners useless.

That, he said, was because most ex-convicts went back to commit worse crimes after being pardoned. 

Responsibility of the state

Evangelist Lorkpa further stated that the nation had an obligation to prisoners because when the state deprived someone of their liberty, the state ought to assume a duty of care.

“States are also obliged to ensure that prisoners are treated humanely. This includes providing adequate accommodation, food and water, sanitation and healthcare, access to light, fresh air and exercise,” he said.

He added that ensuring humane prison conditions that are in line with international and regional standards for the treatment of prisoners would be key to the establishment of fair and effective criminal justice systems.